Britain has been left 'in the slow lane' through years of under-investment in transport, manufacturers claim

Politicians have left Britain ‘in the slow lane’ through years of under-investment in crucial transport links, manufacturers claimed today.

The EEF, which represents manufacturers, said the Government ‘must put after-burners on transport strategy’ including major investment in roads and airports. It also called for an independent infrastructure commission to be set up ‘to take politics out of decision-making’.

And the British Chambers of Commerce warned that the UK faces a ‘long and tortuous road to recovery’ unless the Government takes radical steps to stimulate growth.

Congested: The EEF say the Government 'must put after-burners on transport strategy' including major investment in roads and airports

It said a triple-dip recession has been avoided but the ‘sunlit uplands of recovery’ remain a long way off.The calls reflect mounting frustration at the Government’s failure to kick-start an economic recovery.

Roger Salomone, head of business environment policy at the EEF, said: ‘Political prevarication and policy reversals have left Britain in the slow lane in developing its infrastructure for decades.

‘Government must reassess its investment priorities, act faster on major issues like airport capacity and take the politics out of infrastructure by setting up an independent commission.’

Saying the road network was ‘the backbone of the economy’, he called for investment in ‘shovel-ready maintenance projects and upgrades to heavily congested arteries’.

He added: ‘World-class air links are critical to export-led growth and attracting inward investment.

‘To keep up with the competition we need investment across the board, in Heathrow and in regional airports. Maintaining our status as a global aviation hub is critical to our international standing and expanding runway capacity at Heathrow is the most viable way to secure this.’

Britain has suffered two recessions in recent years – the Great Recession in 2008-09 and a double-dip in 2011-12 – and it is feared the freezing weather could have tipped the economy into an unprecedented triple-dip.

But the BCC’s latest quarterly survey of 7,000 firms suggested a return to modest growth of 0.1 per cent in the first three months of 2013.

That would be enough to avoid another recession – but only just – following the 0.3 per cent slump in output in the final quarter of last year.

‘The economy has made progress but there are still some mountains to climb before it is fully back on track,’ said BCC director general John Longworth. ‘The fact remains that the economy is still not strong enough.’

He called for a beefed-up business bank and investment in road repairs and housing to spark growth.

Last month Longworth said British business is being held back by ‘amateur’ politicians who have ‘generally never run anything’.